Industry News

Information to help you run your business.

Jane Brown Grimes Nominated As 2007-08 USTA President

The USTA Nominating Committee has nominated Jane Brown Grimes as USTA chairman of the board and president to serve a two-year term in 2007-2008. Brown Grimes, who is currently completing a two-year term as USTA first vice president, is scheduled to take office Jan. 1. She will become the second female chairman of the board and president in USTA history.

Currently, Brown Grimes serves on the USTA Investment Committee, the ITF Fed Cup Committee and the Grand Slam Committee. A member of the Tennis in the Parks Task Force, she has previously held positions on the USTA board as secretary-treasurer and director at large.

In addition, the following have been nominated in the new slate of elected officers and directors for the USTA board: Lucy S. Garvin of Greenville, S.C., first vice president; Joseph A. Grover of Midland, Mich., vice president; Gordon A. Smith of Atlanta, vice president; and Donald L. Tisdel of Lake Oswego, Ore., secretary-treasurer.

USPTA Honors Standouts in Tennis Profession

More than 1,200 tennis teachers, coaches, players, volunteers, managers, and others attended the annual USPTA World Conference on Tennis, held Sept. 18 to 23 at the Flamingo in Las Vegas.

Attendees were treated to a full slate of specialty courses, seminars, generals sessions and more, covering a broad spectrum of topics to help them improve all aspects of their business, both oncourt and off. The schedule also included a Tennis Buying Show (along with a silent auction), the National Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout finals, and tournament play. DVDs of the educational programs are available. Visit uspta.com for more information.

At the World Conference, the USPTA also honored its top members:

Clarence Mabry of San Antonio became the seventh grand inductee into the USPTA’s Hall of Fame. Mabry has coached at Trinity University for 19 years.

Tom Daglis of Canadian Lakes, Mich., received the association’s top annual member award, the Alex Gordon Award for the USPTA Professional of the Year. Daglis is the director of the Ferris State University Professional Tennis Management program and general manager of Ferris State University Racquet & Fitness Center.

The USPTA Star, recognizing teaching professionals who make an indelible mark on their communities through the sport of tennis, was awarded to Chris Michalowski of Acme, Mich., and Tony Reyes of Chandler, Ariz. Michalowski also won the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award. Joe Dinoffer of Dallas received the USPTA Industry Excellence Award. Nick Johnson of Frisco, Texas, director of the Lakes Tennis Academy, received the Facility Manager of the Year Award.

Other honorees include: Francisco Montana, Palmetto Bay, Fla. — Touring Coach of the Year; Steve Wilkinson, St. Peter, Minn. — College Coach of the Year; Beth Miller, Delray Beach, Fla. — High School Coach of the Year; and Gary Trost, Oklahoma City — Georgo Bacso Tester of the Year.

Management Consultant to Highlight ASBA Meeting

Greg Hoyle, who specializes in general management issues and techniques to help contractors become more effective, will be the keynote speaker at the American Sports Builders Association Technical Meeting, set for Dec. 1 to 4 at the Plaza Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The ASBA’s annual tech meeting offers presentations and seminars to help your business and will include opportunities to network, including a trade show. For more information, visit sportsbuilders.org or call 866-501-ASBA.

Nike is Official Apparel, Footwear for USPTA

The USPTA, through a new long-term partnership with Fromuth Tennis, will offer Nike products as the official footwear and apparel of the USPTA. The deal, which was authorized by Nike, makes Fromuth the official provider of Nike shoes and clothes to the teaching pro organization.

The relationship means USPTA teaching pros will be offered preferred pricing on Nike products, says Marty Sappington, Nike’s commerce director for USA Tennis. “Along with our high-profile tour athletes, we feel the local teaching professional is a key influencer on the tennis consumer’s products of choice,” says Sappington. “Partnering with Fromuth Tennis and their excellent service model will give us the opportunity to place our product on court in front of tens of thousands of tennis players every day.”

Fromuth has been a wholesale distributor of racquet sports equipment to country clubs, pro shops, specialty stores, high schools, universities, and racquet stringers for more than 35 years. “We are very excited about this relationship with Nike and Fromuth and the opportunity to bring the benefits of it to our members,” says USPTA CEO Tim Heckler.

Award Winners Named At PTR/ROHO Chps.

Harlon Matthews of McDonough, Ga., received PTR’s Wheelchair Pro of the Year Award at the PTR/ROHO $17,500 Wheelchair Tennis Championships, held Sept. 20-24 on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Matthews, a PTR-certified tennis instructor, teaches tennis to both wheelchair and able-bodied students at Henry County Parks & Recreation. In 2005, Matthews earned the USTA Georgia Wheelchair Tennis Player of the Year, the Georgia Professional Tennis Association’s Player of the Year, and PTR’s Golden Eagle Award for Service to the Game. The GPTA and PTR awards are not wheelchair specific and are awarded by other tennis teaching pros.

The PTR Golden Eagle Award for Service to the Game was presented to Kelly Skelton of Wartrace, Tenn. Skelton, the director of the Middle Tennessee State University program, received a Tennis Tutor ball throwing machine to help continue with her tennis programs.

The Sportsmanship Award winner was Tim Wall of Brooklet, Ga. Honorable Mentions for Sportsmanship during the event went to Eddie Hawkins of Asheville, N.C., Tom Johnson of Rock Hill, S.C., Karin Korb of Atlanta, and Patrick Mulvihill, of Biloxi, Miss.

Two Earn USPTA Master Professional Designation

Dave Hagler of Los Angeles and Alan Cutler of Whittier, Calif, recently earned recognition as Master Professionals in the USPTA, the organization’s highest professional rating. Only about 1 percent of the USPTA’s 14,500 worldwide members have achieved the Master Pro designation.

“Becoming a Master Professional requires meeting a variety of personal and professional challenges,” says USPTA CEO Tim Heckler. “Those who accomplish it acquire a set of skills that can set them apart in tennis operations and programming.”

Hagler (left), an independent contractor, and Cutler, head tennis coach for Whittier Union High School District and an independent contractor, were honored in September at the USPTA World Conference on Tennis in Las Vegas.

Tennis Channel Acquires Rights to French Open

The Tennis Channel acquired it’s first-ever Grand Slam telecast coverage rights recently through a multi-year agreement with the French Tennis Federation to broadcast the French Open. TTC will receive exclusive U.S. telecast rights to all Roland Garros matches, with the exception of established NBC coverage windows.

In addition to live event coverage, the network plans to produce and televise Roland Garros-themed original programming, highlights, press conferences, and news updates originating from the tournament, TTC officials said in a press release. In addition, the deal gives TTC U.S. rights in all media, including broadband and video-on-demand, as well as access to Roland Garros’s media archives.

Advantage Net Posts Add Benefits

Advantage Tennis Supply has added benefits to its high-quality tennis net posts. The Fast Drop External Wind and Internal Wind net posts now are electrostatically powder-coated and then oven-cured in either glossy black or green, for a hard, long-lasting, durable finish, says the company. All of the drilling and tapping is done prior to this process, so even these areas are coated. Advantage Tennis Supply continues to offer all of their tennis net posts with black, steel, powder-coated lacing rods at no additional cost. The rods are not welded, but attached by zinc-coated Tek screws at four points to ensure durability. Other components of the Advantage line consist of aluminum, zinc, and/or stainless steel. For information call 800-476-5432 or visit advantagetennissupply.com.

Tail Creates Cardio Tennis Line for Spring

Tail has created a line of activewear specifically designed for Cardio Tennis as part of its spring 2007 Tail Tech Performance collection. “We focused on developing the best fitness-inspired clothing that can be worn for tennis and all other fitness activities,” says Brad Singer, Tail’s v.p. of sales and marketing. Tail’s new fabrics provide moisture management and are protected with an anti-microbial finish, says the company. For more information, call 305-638-2650 or visit tailinc.com.

HEAD Penn, USPTA Extend Agreement

The USPTA signed a seven-year agreement with HEAD Penn Racquet Sports that extends the USPTA’s endorsement of the Pro Penn ball through 2013. This continues the 33-year contract the USPTA already has with Pro Penn into its fourth decade, which makes it the longest and oldest endorsement in the tennis industry.

Penn says it has incorporated a new technology with the addition of Encore Technology, which makes the product 33 percent longer lasting. Also, the new Smart Optik felt makes the ball 19 percent more visible, says the company.

“We are very pleased to continue our relationship with HEAD Penn and are excited to bring the new technologically advanced Pro Penn ball to our members,” says USPTA CEO Tim Heckler.

Oncourt Offcourt Offers ‘Flex Trainer’

USPTA and PTR Master Professional Joe Dinoffer designed the Flex Trainer training aid to help players get a rapid feel for lowering their playing height. The benefits are improved topspin on groundstrokes, getting down for low volleys, and overall faster court coverage, Dinoffer says. The Flex Trainer features three levels of resistance bands for easy use by players of all heights and playing levels. Waist and ankle straps are also fully adjustable. For wholesale and retail pricing and a free 84-page color catalog, contact Oncourt Offcourt at 88-TENNIS-11 or oncourtoffcourt.com.

Brody Honored by USTA

Dr. Howard Brody received the Faculty Emeritus Award at the 2006 USTA Tennis Teachers Conference, held in New York City in August. Brody, a world expert in the fields of physics and tennis technology, is a member of the USTA’s Sport Science Committee and a noted author.

Prince Launches O3 Citron to Benefit VFW Foundation

Throughout the country, yellow ribbons symbolize the hope of a safe return of U.S. military personnel. Now, that same shade of yellow will be on a tennis racquet, for the benefit of American military men and women.

Prince recently launched the O3 Citron to benefit the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation. In honor of the Nov. 11 Veterans Day holiday, Prince will donate a portion of net sales from every O3 Citron to the VFW Foundation. The money will go to military families through the VFW’s Unmet Needs Program and the National Veterans Service Program.

Only 2,400 O3 Citron racquets will be available for purchase at a suggested retail price of $250. Visit princetennis.com.

Cardio Workshop Held in Portugal

The first international Cardio Tennis Workshop was held in Lisbon, Portugal, on Sept. 7, funded by Tennis Europe and the Portuguese Tennis Federation. More than 60 pros from nine countries attended the 10-hour workshop, which was led by National Cardio Tennis Program Director Michele Krause (center) with assistance from Ted Murray (left) and Butch Staples (right).

Tennis Beyond Big Shots

Greg Moran, director of tennis at The Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, Conn., presents an approach to playing tennis that moves away from power and big shots yet is more lethal to opponents than any booming serve. In his new book, Tennis Beyond Big Shots, Moran shows players of all ages and abilities that, with simple and small changes, you can not only maximize your tennis wins and play longer, but also have much more fun doing it. Available in paperback; $26.95; 260 pages; Mansion Grove House. Also available as a CD for $26.95. To order, visit TennisBeyondBigshots.com or call 408-404-7277.

Classifieds

TENNIS PROFESSIONALS Needed to take a Caribbean Vacation! You work 3 hours per day and receive 5-star all inclusive accommodations for yourself and 1 guest. Contact Denise Cox 678-778-4673; fitbodiesinc.com

Prince adds O3 Hybrid Tour

Prince’s latest addition to the O3 Hybrid collection is the O3 Hybrid Tour. With input and playtesting from ATP and WTA Tour pros, Prince say it designed the new racquet for serious competitive players. World no. 24 Shahar Peer and top U.S. junior Sam Querrey recently switched to the new frame.

The new racquet features O3 technology, but the O-Ports on the 95-square-inch Hybrid Tour are situated at 3 and 9 o’clock on the perimiter of the frame to increase racquet head speed and provide more spin and power, says the company.

“My game is all about precision and power,” says Peer, “so the speed of the O3 Hybrid Tour helps me get to the ball more quickly. This racquet really helps take advantage of all my game’s strengths.”

The new racquet, in metallic orange and black, has a suggested retail price of $200. For information, visit princetennis.com.

TIA update

MEMBERSHIP

A new member and renewal drive is scheduled for early November. Currently, there are 350 TIA members in the different member categories — participating partners, supporting members, retailers, facilities, and individuals. Benefits and services, depending on the level, include research, merchant card services, travel, publication and media discounts, TennisWire exposure, facility insurance, and more. New for 2007 will be a revamped website with database searches for manufacturers, retailers, court contractors, and facilities, along with new retailer insurance, a membership survey, and more.

GRASSROOTS PROGRAMS

There are now more than 2,000 Tennis Welcome Centers and 1,600 Cardio Tennis sites in the U.S., and plans are moving ahead to increase numbers and exposure while ensuring quality delivery of programs. For 2007, look for a coordination of efforts between TWCs and CT sites.

TENNISCONNECT.ORG

Member facilities have access to this acclaimed website builder to promote their programs and events. Features include a calendar, court scheduler, group email function, player matching, and much more. At its second anniversary, there are 20,000 registered, active users and an average of 50,000 courts booked online monthly through TennisConnect. New for 2007 will be online payment through the TennisCollect system, new templates and added features, a League and Ladder system, daily online training forums and seminars, a stringing center, and more.

RESEARCH

More than 70 annual reports and research surveys are generated for the TIA, including the tennis participation study, specialty retail audit, dealer trends, consumer reports, census reports, facilities database, and cost of doing business reports. New for 2007 will be court construction research, expanded apparel and footwear research, and expanded retailer and facility research.

TENNISWIRE.ORG

TIA Supporting Members and above can post press releases online. A bi-monthly newsletter goes to 12,000 industry contacts, plus U.S. tennis writers. New for 2007 will be a searchable database of tennis writers/media, tennis job postings, and a recreational tennis news section.

Short Sets

Italy won its first Fed Cup title in September, beating Belgium 3-2 after Justine Henin-Hardenne was forced to stop because of knee pain during the deciding doubles match. In the 2007 Fed Cup first round, the U.S. will face No. 1 seed Belgium April 21-22 at a venue to be chosen by the USTA.

Nominees for the 2007 International Tennis Hall of Fame induction are Pete Sampras and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the Recent Player category; Sven Davidson and Christine Truman Janes in the Master Player category; and tennis photographer Russ Adams and Dr. Robert Johnson in the Contributor category.

Prince will begin branding select products with a new, trademarked “Tour Proven” stamp of approval. The Tour Proven label “reflects a close collaboration between Prince’s product designers, engineers, and top pros who understand exactly what needs have to be met for a product to succeed on tour,” the company said.

Andre Agassi’s mother, Betty Agassi, along with Novartis Oncology, launched a global initiative at the US Open to educate women battling breast cancer about ways to help them minimize the risk of recurrence. Visit ribbonofpink.com for more information.

The team from T Bar M Tennis Academy in Dallas won the “Prince Plugged In” Challenge Cup IV for juniors in October. Prince Plugged In is an exclusive program that brings together 33 junior tennis academies from around the U.S. through Challenge Cup events, training seminars, and online networking. This final weekend of competition was comprised of the eight top teams.

Gail R. Marsden, wife of David Marsden, owner of Boston Tennis Courts Construction Co. of Hanover, Mass., and former chairman of the American Sports Builders Association, died suddenly at home in Norwell, Mass. The family wishes that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Jimmy Fund, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445-7226, Att: Contributions Center. Donations may also be made by phone at 800-525-4669.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame sponsored the first exhibit to tell the diverse story of tennis in the Americas outside the boundaries of the U.S. and Canada. The exhibit, at the gallery at the 2006 US Open, featured charismatic stars of the present and recent past.

More than 30 people attended the 3rd Annual Conference on Indoor Clay Courts, held recently in Bethesda, Md. The conference is sponsored by Lee Tennis and is designed to share progress on Lee’s efforts to improve the performance and the ease of maintenance in an indoor environment.

Babolat donated racquets valued at $20,000 to CityParks Tennis to support the growth and development of youth tennis in New York City.

Team Billie Jean King, led by Pete Sampras, defeated Team Elton John, led by Andy Roddick, in the 14th Annual Advanta World TeamTennis Smash Hits charity event, held in Irvine, Calif. The event raised more than $350,000 to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and AIDS Services Foundation Orange County.

Muir Tapped as G.M. of Wilson Racquet Sports

Jon Muir, who joined Wilson Racquet Sports in 1997, has been promoted to general manager and will oversee the racquet sports business on a global level. He’ll report to Wilson President Chris Considine.

Prior to his new appointment, Muir served as U.S. director of sales and marketing for Wilson Racquet Sports. In this capacity, he oversaw the division’s domestic sales and was instrumental in developing and implementing all U.S. marketing strategies for Wilson’s major product introductions.

“Jon has the knowledge, passion and skills we need to lead our global effort,” says Considine. “This is an exciting time for our racquet sports business and we look forward to Jon leading our team.” For more information, visit wilson.com.

Peoplewatch

Patrick McEnroe will continue as U.S. Davis Cup captain through 2008, the USTA announced in October. During his tenure as captain, McEnroe has compiled a 9-6 record, leading the team to the Davis Cup final in 2004 and two semifinal appearances in 2002 and 2006 against Russia. The 2007 U.S. Davis Cup campaign will begin Feb. 9-11 in the Czech Republic.

Marian DeWane (right) and Jeff Holman were recognized at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference with Star Fish Awards, awarded to coaches who have implemented no-cut policies on their high-school tennis teams.

Spencer Vegosen of Chicago, Davey Sandgren of Gallatin, Tenn., Ashley Weinhold of Spinewood, Texas, and Spencer Mendoza of Vancouver, Wash., received the 2005 Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Awards during the International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Weekend in July in Newport, R.I.

Maria Sharapova claimed the 2006 US Open title, her second Grand Slam title, using the Prince O3 White racquet. In August, Sharapova signed a multi-million lifetime endorsement deal with Prince.

Young tennis stars Sam Querrey of the U.S., Evgeny Korolev of Russia, and Carlos Boluda of Spain have signed multi-year endorsement deals with Prince Tennis.

John McEnroe is the recipient of the inaugural Gene Scott Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame, presented to an individual who consistently embodies the commitment to communicating honestly and critically about the game.